TL;DR
Get business pricing on garage and car supplies
- Business-only prices and quantity discounts
- Tax-exempt purchasing
- Multiple users, one account, clear invoices
Bath and North East Somerset Council says construction will begin this autumn on a contraflow cycle lane beside Royal Victoria Park’s one-way ring road. The £2.35 million scheme includes resurfacing, new crossings and separated lane edges, but 84% of 864 consultation respondents opposed it. Residents question the need and safety of the route; supporters say it could offer a quieter connection for less-confident cyclists.
Construction is due to begin this autumn on a new contraflow cycle lane through Royal Victoria Park in Bath, Bath and North East Somerset Council has announced, despite strong opposition from residents and some cyclists who say an existing shared path already serves the park. The £2.35 million scheme is intended to connect Upper Weston with the city centre and change how cyclists travel beside the park’s one-way ring road.
The route will run beside the western and southern sides of the park’s ring road, allowing cyclists to travel against the direction of motor traffic on that road. For journeys out of the city, cyclists are expected to use the existing single-lane road, which has traffic-calming chicanes and a 10mph speed limit. The council says the project is part of its Bath Walking, Wheeling, and Cycling Links programme.
Revised plans followed a public consultation and added pedestrian crossing points, resurfacing for footpaths on both sides of the road, and tulip-shaped wand kerbs to separate the cycle lane from traffic. The council also said it would install eco-sensitive heritage lighting at intervals. The earlier design had proposed a painted lane without the physical separation in the revised plan.
The council says the scheme responds to concerns about cyclists riding dangerously on the park’s existing diagonal shared pedestrian and cycle path, and is intended to make the park safer and more welcoming. But, according to the report, 84% of 864 consultation respondents opposed the proposal. That figure records responses to the council’s consultation; it does not establish the views of all Bath residents or park users.
A New Route, With Safety Disputed
The project will alter a well-used public park and create a new way for cyclists to travel between Upper Weston and central Bath. Its stated purpose is to offer a route alongside the ring road and address reported conflicts on the existing shared path. Whether it will achieve that aim is disputed by residents who say the current route works and by park users worried about crossings, cyclist speeds and the character of a secluded route.
The disagreement also concerns who feels safe using the park. Some residents and Green Party representatives argue that lighting may not resolve fears about cycling through an isolated park after dark, particularly for women and children. Supporters say protected infrastructure could help children learning to ride, older people and less-confident cyclists. The changes therefore carry practical implications for cyclists, pedestrians and other park users, not just for the design of a cycle lane.
The consultation opposition is a substantial recorded response, but it does not by itself settle the safety or transport case. The council’s explanation and residents’ objections are different kinds of evidence: the council has stated its aims and design changes, while critics have described their experiences and concerns. The available report does not provide a detailed evidence assessment that resolves those competing views.
contraflow bike lane safety barriers
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How the Plans Changed
Royal Victoria Park is one of Bath’s largest public green spaces and has a clockwise one-way ring road. Cyclists can already cross the park on a shared pedestrian and cycle path that cuts diagonally through it. That existing route is central to the criticism: opponents ask why a parallel facility is needed, while the council says the new arrangement could reduce unsafe riding on the shared path.
The initial proposals drew criticism from residents and the local Green Party over the park’s isolated and unlit setting and the perceived safety of cycling there after dark. After a public consultation, the council revised the plans to include crossings, footpath resurfacing, lane-edge separation and heritage lighting. Those revisions addressed elements of the design, but did not persuade most consultation respondents who opposed the scheme.
Residents have also raised concerns about cyclists travelling quickly on the diagonal path and the possibility that a new route could bring two-way traffic near the playground. Others argue that cyclists should instead use nearby existing cycle lanes and travel around the one-way road system. These are concerns and opinions reported from local responses; the source material does not confirm a collision history or establish how the new design will affect speeds.
“I’m a cyclist so I’m very pro cycle lanes. I can’t really understand what problem this is solving.”
— A local cyclist responding to the council consultation
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Questions Before Construction
The available report does not give the exact construction start date, a completion date or a detailed timetable for the works. It also does not include the council’s full safety evidence, projected cycling numbers or an evaluation of how the contraflow route compares with the existing shared path and nearby cycle lanes.
It remains unclear how the new crossings will work in practice for pedestrians, how the lane’s proximity to the playground will be managed, and whether the planned lighting will address the concerns raised by women, families and other park users. The report records competing views but provides no findings from an independent safety review or post-construction monitoring plan. Those details would help readers assess whether the revised design responds to the objections.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Construction and Council Updates
The council has said work is due to start this autumn, alongside resurfacing and installation of the crossing points. The source material does not name a start day, set out construction stages or say when the route is expected to open. Further council information would be needed to confirm those arrangements and any access changes for people using the park during works.
As construction proceeds, the main issues to watch are whether the separated lane, crossings and lighting are delivered as described and how the route affects people cycling and walking through the park. The report does not state whether the council plans to publish monitoring results or hold further meetings with opponents. Residents have requested a pause and an explanation of the evidence, but no decision to pause the project is reported.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
Where will the new Bath cycle lane run?
It is planned to run beside the western and southern sides of Royal Victoria Park’s one-way ring road, allowing cyclists to travel against motor traffic on that stretch.
Why does the council say the lane is needed?
The council says the scheme will connect Upper Weston with the city centre and address concerns about cyclists riding dangerously on the existing diagonal shared path through the park.
Why are residents opposing the project?
Opponents say cyclists already have a route through the park and question whether the new lane solves a problem. Others have raised concerns about personal safety after dark, cyclist speeds, crossings and the route’s proximity to the playground.
What changes were added after consultation?
The revised plans include pedestrian crossings, footpath resurfacing, tulip-shaped wand kerbs to separate the cycle lane from traffic, and eco-sensitive heritage lighting at intervals.
When will construction start?
The council says work is due to begin this autumn. The source report does not specify the calendar year, an exact start date or a completion date.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
